DEPARTMENT SHOULD STOP ALL WATER CUTOFFS UNTIL THAT CASE HAS BEEN SETTLED. A JACKSON WOMAN RECENTLY HAD A $34,000 WATER BILL DEMANDING SHE PAY UP OR LOSE WATER SERVICE. I'M SAYING THAT THIS CITY IS BETRAYING THE PEOPLE OFF JACKSON WHEN THEY KNOW THE CITIZENS DON'T OWE HIGH WATER BILLS. COUNCILMAN KENNETH STOKES IS NOW DEMANDING A HALT TO ALL WATER CUT OFFS BASED ON ALLEGATIONS IN THE CITY'S LAWSUIT AGAINST SIEMENS. SO HOW DO YOU PUNISH THE CITIZENS WHEN YOU'RE FILING A LAWSUIT AGAINST SIEMENS AND NOW THEY HOODWINKED THE CITY ARE YOU GOING TO HOODWINK THE CITIZENS IT'S NOT RIGHT. AT A THURSDAY NEWS CONFERENCE STOKES READ FROM THE MULTI- MILLION LAWSUIT THAT BLAMES SIEMENS FOR PROBLEMS THE WATER BILLING SYSTEM TO THIS DAY THE METERING SYSTEM HAS REPEATEDLY GENERATED GROSSLY INACCURATE BILLS IN SOME INSTANCES FAIL TO GENERATE BILLS AT ALL. THE SUIT CLAIMS AT LEAST 10,000 OF THE 60,000 METERS INSTALLED BY SIEMENS ARE NOT FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY. ACCORDING TO STOKES, HIS OFFICE HAS HAD CALLS FROM OLDER RESIDENTS STRUGGLING TO PAY SKY HIGH BILLS. WE'RE SAYING WHAT SIEMENS DID TO THE CITY OF JACKSON IS WRONG WE'RE SAYING THAT WHAT THE CITY OF JACKSON HAS DONE TO THE CITIZENS IN THIS CITY IS WRONG AND WE'RE SAYING THAT TWO WRONGS DON'T MAKE A RIGHT MEANTIME ANOTHER CONTRACTOR IS FIRING BACK AT THE MAYOR CHOKWE ANTAR LUMUMBA OVER ALLEGATIONS AGAINST IT IN THE LAWSUIT. JAMES COVINGTON WHO OWNS IVISON I-T CONSULTANTS DISPUTED THE CLAIMS IN A THURSDAY STATEMENT SAYING "I WOULD WILLINGLY PLACE MY COMPANY'S CAPABILITIES AND MY BODY OF WORK UP AGAINST THOSE OF MAYOR CHOKWE ANTAR LUMUMBA ANY DAY AT HIGH NOON." THE SUIT SAID COVINGTON'S COMPANY GOT AN $11 MILLION CONTRACT TO INSTALL THE WATER BILLING SYSTEM. MY POSITION IS THAT SIEMENS IS THE ONE WHO CAME AND TOOK US FOR $90 MILLION THAT'S WHO WE NEED TO BE SUING AND MAKING THEM PAY THAT SIEMENS IS THE ONE WHO CAME AND TOOK US FOR $90 MILLION THAT'S WHO WE NEED TO BE SUING AND MAKING THEM PAY MAYOR LUMUMBA RESPONDED TO COVINGTON. HE SAID THIS ADMINISTRATION FIRMLY SUPPORTS THE DEVELOPMENT OF MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES, HOWEVER WE STAUNCHLY OPPOSE ANY BUSINESS THAT TAKES ADVANTAGE OF OUR CITIZENS. ROSS ADAMS 16 WAPT NEWS. TONIGHT...CLEAR. LOWS IN THE UPPE

Residents are suing the city of Jackson, Mississippi, to prevent their water from being shut off, citing more than $80,000 in inaccurate account balances.The complaint filed Tuesday claims plaintiffs' water accounts shouldn't be turned off given the city's admission to widespread billing issues in its own lawsuit against the Siemens company, the Clarion Ledger reported.The city is suing Siemens for failing to provide a billing system among other promises. The claim says the city knows the billing system isn't accurate yet continues to hold customers accountable for its own mishaps.Public Works Director Bob Millers said the city is about $2 million behind in monthly water revenue.Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba said a culture of nonpayment is prevalent because the city fails to even provide water bills.

JACKSON, Miss. —

Residents are suing the city of Jackson, Mississippi, to prevent their water from being shut off, citing more than $80,000 in inaccurate account balances.

The complaint filed Tuesday claims plaintiffs' water accounts shouldn't be turned off given the city's admission to widespread billing issues in its own lawsuit against the Siemens company, the Clarion Ledger reported.